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By LEAndRo milan
OUR mOnths after winning over P14 million in the Lotto 6/42 draw, Dionie C. Reyes was back in the betting line hoping for a second chance at the jackpot. the 47-year-old government employee had a short stab at a millionaire’s life, spending all his winnings in just three months. But he says he has no regrets over the loss of his millions on vices -- gambling, drinking sprees, womanizing – and on family and friends whom he showered generously with balato. he vows he would know how to handle money the next time around. Reyes hit the jackpot in the Lotto 6/42 draw on April 22, 2008. Of his P14 million bonanza, he bought a house and lot worth P4 million and a pricey sports utility vehicle. Over P2 million in balato went to relatives, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even strangers who came to him for help. he estimates squandering about P7 million for his daily spending spree, including regular trips to shopping malls and cockpits, in a span of three months until none was left. “If I do not know where my money went, maybe I would go crazy. But I know where it went. Sa kalokohan ko, pero nag-enjoy naman ako,” he says with only a bit of regret. Four years later, Reyes finds himself in debt for P500,000. Last september he underwent a heart surgery at the Philippine heart Center. he was fortunate that the Philippine Charity sweepstake Office came to his succor and shouldered the cost of the operation. he thanks his boss for advising him not to quit and just go on leave after he won the jackpot. now he is back at
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lotto WinnEr EndS UP a Big loSEr People at the cockpit he frequented in Las Piñas used to call him “Boss Dionie” after he won the lotto. “Every time they see me, until now they still call me that. But I tell them to just call me ‘Ubos Dionie’ now because I have no more money,” he shares, laughing
dionie: Lahat naman tayo may pangarap .
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LOTTO MILLIONAIRES NOW REACH 1,700
T
HERE are now 1,700 members of the socalled “Instant Millionaires Club” composed of winners of online lottery draws with prizes ranging from P3 million to P741 million since 1995. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager, said that since the 6/42 Mega Lotto and 6/49 Super Lotto games were launched in 1995, some 1,700 lucky bettors have won the jackpot. Most of the winners are ordinary folks who religiously maintained certain combinations. A balikbayan from New York had won the biggest lotto jackpot worth more than P741 million in the 6/55 Grand Lotto in October 2010. The winner was on vacation in Subic where he bought the winning ticket. A 60-year-old carpenter from Las Piñas City won P341 million in the Grand Lotto draw last year, while a 49-year-old government employee from General Santos City won P106 million in the Super Lotto draw. According to Rojas, most of the winners maintained certain number combinations that represent important dates and events in their lives. his old job as a utility man. Reyes says he wants to share his story so that others who will hit the lotto jackpot may learn a lesson or two from his experience. “After all, I have nothing to fear,” he says in Filipino. “that was about four years ago already. I had spent all my winnings. nothing is
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left, except my house and the things I gave my relatives, office mates, friends, and acquaintances.” Reyes recalls that friends and acquaintances at the cockpit he frequented in Las Piñas used to call him “Boss Dionie” after he won the lotto. “Every time they see me, until now they still call me that. But I tell them to just call me ‘Ubos Dionie’ now because I have no more money,” he shares, laughing. But given another crack at the jackpot, he vows to change his wayward ways. “That is why I am saying that if God would bless me again and gives me a second chance, because I am betting every day, I will love my money. After all, I have experienced it already.”
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His determined pursuit of the lotto jackpot was shared passionately by his mother who died in 2004. “Anak, ipinagdarasal ko na manalo ka na ng lotto para makatikim naman tayo ng ginhawa,” he recalls his mother telling him. Four years later, on April 22, 2008, her prayers were answered. Dionie hit the jackpot using a Lucky Pick, System 7 bet worth P70. A System 7 bet has seven combinations. It was on a Tuesday when the draw was held but Dionie did not check his tickets until Friday. He had been on a drinking binge during those days and his tickets, safely ensconced in his wallet, were nearly damaged by urine smudges because there were times he would pee in his
“If God would bless me again and gives me a second chance, I will love my money. After all, I have experienced it already.” pants due to drunkenness. He still remembers the winning combination -- 09-15-18-23-28-40 -- which carried the jackpot prize of P14,125,032. “At 1 p.m. Friday, accompanied by my boss, I had my winning ticket validated at the PCSO’s Internal Audit Department. The lotto machine did not accept it at first because of urine smudge. So, the validation was done manually, entering into the lotto machine the security numbers in the ticket,” recounts Dionie. An hour later he was at the bank to encash a portion of his winnings. “Lahat tayo
The luck of the draw. may pangarap. Gusto ko talaga magkaroon ng kotse, magandang bahay, at makahawak ng malaking pera. Kaya sinabi ko sa bangko bigyan ako ng isang milyon na cash at tulungan ako makabili ng Toyota Fortuner na usong-uso noon,” he recalls. He was adamant he wanted to go home driving his new car, and a million-peso cash in hand. The bank made sure he got them. Dionie next bought a P4-million house and lot at BF Homes in Las Piñas. He gave his six siblings P50,000 each; P500,000 to one of his nephews for a three-door apartment he wanted to build; and from P1,000 to P30,000 to some of his office mates; and P100,000 to his boss. In addition, he gave away from P5,000 to P50,000 to friends and neighbors in his old house in Cavite. He also gifted a nephew of his wife with a car worth P850,000. Dionie now hitches a ride with him when he goes to work. “I spent all my money on gambling, especially cockfighting, drinking sprees, and womanizing. Almost every day, I lost a minimum of P100,000 in cockfighting. It was very quick, I had a special ATM card issued by my bank,” Dionie recalls. “Every time I came home, my wife just cried and cried. She asked me many times to stop. I did not listen. My siblings also asked me to change my ways and have a new life. I did not listen to any of them. It was my money, anyway. I won it fairly not at the expense of others.” In only over a year, he sold his car and then his house at BF Homes. He bought another house also in Las Piñas worth P1.7 million. He now wants to sell the house to pay off his debts. His boss feels deeply sorry for Dionie. “I feel bad for him kasi ilan lang ang nananalo ng jackpot?” n
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Bat with husband Willy
COMING
HOME ‘I foresaw that we had to come home someday… because if we don’t, we will end up in the nursing home. It happens even to couples who have children. I don’t want to end up in a nursing home in America,’ By CARLA yaBot-yBañez
GING Is tricky. While wisdom is on your side, physical strength can be a real pooper. You know who you are and what you want and yet you are restricted by a society that tends to glorify youth and exuberance more. Below are stories of two Us immigrants who chose to spend their twilight years in the Philippines. One reconnected with family and friends while the other reconnected with her community. At age 69 and 73, respectively, both went back to their birth country, found fulfillment in their choices while flirting with the thought of still making a difference in their chosen fields. From global to local It’s hard to imagine how a petite, softspoken lady could have survived working as a medical professional in Kenya, Bangladesh, somalia and Indonesia. But salvacion Bailon-Reyes, or Bat to family and friends, did just that, building an international health career spanning 12 years, first as nursing research consultant for World Bank and then as senior nursing educator for the World Health Organization (WHO). It was during one of her overseas assignments in Asia that Bat met her husband, Wilfredo L. Reyes, who was also working at that time as a public health specialist for WHO. Both are graduated from the University
of the Philippines – she from the College of Nursing, and he from the College of Public Health. Bat went on finish her MA in Education at UP and MA in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Reyes has MA and PhD degrees in Public Health from UP and Johns Hopkins, respectively. They got married in 1980 in Bali, Indonesia. When her husband decided to retire in 1990, Bat laos quit her job and they settled in Georgia, UsA. she was 47 at that time. Every one to two years, they would return to spend Christmas in the country. Life in America was peaceful and enjoyable. But being separated from family and friends and doing the household chores themselves, over-
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seas retirement could also be daunting. After Reyes’s heart surgery four years ago and as they advanced in years, they agreed it was time to go home. Last November, the couple went back to the Philippines for good. “I foresaw that we had to come home someday… because if we don’t, we will end up in the nursing home. It happens even to couples who have children. I don’t want to end up in a nursing home in America,” Bat said. When her husband began suffering from short-term memory loss and was unable to drive, she figured she can better take care of him here with support and resources readily available. “America is a place for young people. You can have a job and a good life if you are hard-working. But for older people, especially for those who have no children, there is more support here,” explained Bat. She continued: “We’re happier here. We feel secure. I feel rested because I don’t drive. I don’t cook and clean. We have maids who are also like family to us . . . one has been with the family for more than 45 years now.” Bat notes the cost of staying in a nursing home can also be prohibi-
tive. She says they won’t be able to afford a live-in nurse or a private driver in the US -- services they enjoy here with ease. “If we’re in America, my husband’s pension won’t be enough. But if you’re earning in dollars and spending in pesos here, it’s enough. Here, we can afford the luxuries,” she said. Bat, who in her early career in the late 60’s practiced public health in Pililia and Las Piñas, was part of the UP group that set up the country’s first community health program in Bay, Laguna. Now that she has more time in Manila, she plans to link up with a non-government organization to lend her expertise in public health. “I want to make a positive difference in the lives of poor people,” she said. “I want to focus on primary health care, which simply means adopting healthy practices and lifestyles so that people do not get sick and spend huge amounts on illnesses that can be prevented.”
The clown’s magic touch “I wear many hats. But the ‘clown’ hat is my favorite. It allows me to connect to people more. What they say is true - laughter is the best medicine,” said Teodisia
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America is a place for young people. But for older people, there is more support here. “Dodie” B. Tery as she put on an Uncle Sam top hat while sporting shiny, blue Christmas ball earrings. This is just one of the many characters that she used to play as a nutritionist giving care to mostly AIDS patients at a sub-acute care hospital in Los Angeles, California. “Most of our patients come to the hospital to die. That’s why I thought of doing all of these characters to make them feel good and happy,” Dodie continued, showing pictures of her dressed as a nun, a flamenco dancer, and an Arabian sheikh for a lady patient who fancied Yasser Arafat. She worked in the hospital for over 25 years until she retired in 2004. That same year, Dodie lost her husband to cancer after caring for him for seven years. Feeling alone and lonely, she returned to the Philippines to visit her sick
Dodie, the clown brother. She recalled: “I didn’t plan on going back to the Philippines but one time while on vacation at the Louvre in Paris, there was an unknown force that told me to go back. I cried… parang bigla ko naalala yung country ko and I said I had to go home and see how I can help my countrymen in whatever way I can. So I didn’t plan this. Lahat ng buhay ko di ko naplano. Maybe it’s because I have a planner. I listen to God.” Dodie went to the US in 1968 at the encouragement of an aunt. A job opening in a mountainside
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hospital in New Jersey appealed to her. At 29, she flew to the US full of hope and geared up for adventure. She completed her MA at the New York University, relocated to LA and got married to a handsome American named William Tery. She described their 23 years together as a ‘never a dull moment’ life. In 2007, Dodie decided to go back to the Philippines for good. “I still want to go to America and rediscover the place. They are having a hard time now. I want to see it because it’s a very different America from the America I saw when I first came there. I’m a dreamer like Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to see how I can make America laugh again,” she shared. She added, “But I have no regrets with my decision to stay here. I’m fulfilled. I’m rediscovering the beauty of the Filipinos once again. When you open your heart, you will find a lot of good things here. I’m happy now taking care of my brother, with my church activities, a little ballroom dancing and simply belonging to a community. Wala akong anak, no worries. And I have no desire for big material things. I always rely on God’s providence.” n
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Finding an escape from the hurlyburly of the city life. as their new home. “Of course, we welcome all Filipinos who have been living overseas to return to their homeland. There’s nothing like spending the prime of your life among your own people. Our customs and traditions, our food, our beautiful nature spots, even our religious faith -- these are things that our balikbayans miss and many of them look forward to coming back,” said PRA General Manager Veredigno Atienza. She continued: “Non-Filipinos are welcome to stay in the Philippines as well. We Filipinos are among the friendliest and happiest people on Earth. We treat our guests like good friends. We are fluent in English. Culturally, we are a blend of East and West, and our historical contacts w i t h other
LIFE BEGINS AT
RETIREMENT
There’s nothing like spending the prime of your life among your own people. Our customs and traditions, our food, our beautiful nature spots, even our religious faith -- these are things that our balikbayans miss and many of them look forward to coming back.
By joyCE socao-alumno and RAmIL gulle
ETIREMENT is a new beginning. At that point in our lives, we stand at the threshold of a new phase-we may even consider it as the prime of our lives: we are free from the headstrong passions and exuberant inexperience of youth. Whereas young people struggle to find a direction in life, facing uncertainty and confusion along the way, retirees can look back on a life of achievement, well-spent on career, family and friends. Retirement then, is both a reward and a discovery: what comes next is whatever retirees wish to accomplish in a new start on life, filled once again with possibility. Part of that new beginning is finding a place to start over. With a retiree’s newfound freedom also
come new challenges. It’s only natural to wish for a peaceful place, perhaps one that is close to natural
beauty that affords an escape from the hurly-burly of the city life. Then, one has to consider living expenses. How does one maximize the benefits of one’s pension and savings? A place with excellent healthcare is a must. What about modern conveniences like the Internet and other communications tools? If one is eyeing a retirement haven overseas, then choosing a place where the locals are conversant in English is an obvious choice. It so happens that the Philippines has all these and more, and the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) is gladly fulfilling its mandate to be a “second family” to all retirees who choose the Philippines
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14 PHILIPPINES
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REAsons
WHY YOU SHOULD RETIRE IN THE PHILIPPINES BY joyCE SOcaO-aLUmNO
A retirement community in Davao. races and other nations make us used to having people of other races in our shores,” Atienza said that among all the attributes of the Philippines that make it an ideal place to retire in, it’s really the Filipinos themselves that are the biggest advantage. “Retirement is a time when we want to enjoy the fruits of our labors. Some retirees also wish to start new ventures, new hobbies; they want to pursue their passions and enjoy life to the full. Being with Filipinos makes those plans easier and more fun to fulfill,” he said. Besides all the advantages of the Philippines as a retirement destination, Atienza emphasizes that the excellent services and assistance provided by the PRA to retirees is a huge plus. “When retirees come here, they are respected and valued guests. Soon enough, they feel part of the growing PRA family. The PRA is mandated by its charter and by law to assist all retirees in any way possible. Whenever a retiree has needs, from securing government documentation to availing of healthcare, to assistance in financial and business matters, the PRA is ready to serve them. We even have a 24/7 hotline number that retirees can call up for assistance,” said Atienza. Foreigners and overseas Filipinos who retire in the Philippines are considered special residents of the country. They are accorded multiple-entry privileges, plus the right to stay indefinitely in the Philippines, through the issuance of the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SSRV) by the Bureau of immigration. The SSRV facilitates convenient and quick entry and exit from the Philippines, whenever a retiree travels overseas and back. Filipinos who have taken resi-
“Retirement is a time when we want to enjoy the fruits of our labors,” says PRA’s Atienza. dency overseas as well as foreign nationals (except those from countries without diplomatic relations with the Philippines and nationals classified as restricted by the Department of Foreign Affairs) of retirement age are eligible for the SSRV. There are certain conditions that apply to overseas Filipinos who wish to retire in the Philippines. They must be immigrants or under a visa category allowing them legal stay abroad and have resided therein continuously for at least seven (7) years (prior to their application for enrolment in the Philippine Retirement Authority Retirement Program). They should not have stayed a maximum total of sixty (60) days in a year in the Philippines. According to Atienza, there are more than 26,000 retirees enrolled in the Retirement Program of the PRA, with a net total of more than 18,000 as of March 2012. Most of these retirees have chosen to stay in the following places: Cebu, Angeles (Clark), Olongapo (Subic), Baguio, Davao City, and Metro Manila. In order to better serve these retirees, the PRA has set up offices in these areas, with its main office in Metro Manila. For more details on the process involved in registration and enrolment into the Philippine Retirement Authority Retirement Program, check out www.pra.gov.ph. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n
• Affordable cost of living — The monthly expenses for housing, food, transportation and even labor costs anywhere in the Philippines are quite reasonable and affordable for most retirees that allow them to stretch their pensions and savings. Balikbayans and foreign retirees enjoy not only the lower cost of living but also a favorable currency exchange rate. On an average, a retiree can live very comfortably in the Philippines at US$2,000 per month in a fully furnished home complete with a household helper. • Filipino hospitality — Filipinos are among the most hospitable races on Earth. Filipino hospitality is renowned all over the world. Filipinos’ friendliness, cheerfulness and compassion are qualities that will make retiring in the Philippines truly feel like one has found a second home. They are a happy people, and have consistently rated among the top in every happiness index conducted. • Medical and health services — Retirees are naturally concerned about their health -- keeping healthy will help them enjoy their retirement to the fullest. The Philippines’ medical and healthcare facilities are comparable, sometimes even better by comparison to that of the retirees’ place of residence overseas, depending on his or her country of origin. Filipino doctors are trained in Western medicine and most of them are trained abroad and affiliated with international medical associations. The Filipino nurses’ natural friendliness and competence are sought all over the world and would be comforting to every retiree who needs compassionate care. • Modern conveniences — The Philippines provides retirees with all the basic necessities and conveniences of modern living. From large malls to modern transportation, to the Internet and other high-tech telecommunications network, to contemporary forms of entertainment like Hollywood movies to cable TV channels that include programs from around the world-the retiree would never feel cut-off from the rest of the world and modern life. • Eco-tourism destinations — The Philippines, being an archipelago, is known for its beaches, diving spots and beautiful scenery. It is rich in biodiversity and natural wonders. From the white beaches of world-class Boracay island, to the beautiful hills of
Tagaytay, the Philippines has thousands of islands that all offer a piece of tropical paradise. • Wellness choices — Wellness centers and spas abound, offering massage therapy, acupuncture and other natural and alternative treatments and practices-all designed to restore vitality and promote relaxation and good health. Most of these wellness facilities are run and/or staffed by medical doctors who are experts in Western medicine. Other wellness centers offer treatments based on both Western and Oriental medicine. • World cuisine — The Philippines offers diverse cuisine. Filipino food has mainly Spanish and Chinese influences but over the centuries has also acquired styles and flavors of the cultures that have come in contact with Filipinos, including American, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Arabic and Southeast Asian culinary styles. Besides the local cuisine, the Philippines also has restaurants offering authentic dishes that foreign palates have learned to adopt with. • Freedom in religion — While more than 80 percent of Filipinos are Catholics because of the 300 years of Spanish colonization, other variants of Christianity thrive in the Philippines. Some 5 percent of Filipinos are Muslims, while the rest belong to Protestant and Evangelical Churches. Recently, there has been a rise in secularization, led by a group of Filipino freethinkers. Bhuddhist and Hindu temples are also seen in some places. Overall, all religions are respected and freely practiced in every part of the country. • Climate — The Philippines is a tropical country with two seasons: rainy and dry. The weather is generally fair throughout the year. This is particularly important for retiring people who can no longer tolerate the cold season and avoid winter depression. • Language — English is one of two official languages in the Philippines. The other one is Filipino. English is widely used and most Filipinos are conversant in English. Language interpreters also abound and are available through the Department of Tourism. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n
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By gAynA kumar
Cecile, Lisa and Lea share the stage —and the limelight.
HE crowd is silent as a dazzling Lea Salonga appears on stage. A few lines into ryan cayabyab’s Nais Ko, cecile Licad accompanies Salonga’s voice on piano. Lisa Macuja takes center stage and dances to Licad’s rhythm, this time with the FILharmoniKA orchestra in full force. For a moment, one is overwhelmed by the grandeur, the coming together of three icons, each with their own style and charisma. And that was just the beginning. After months of anticipation, viewers finally witnessed a rare event in Philippine performing arts history: Three of the most talented Filipina artists together on one stage for only two consecutive nights. Everyone knew The Legends and the Classics at the ccP Main Theater would be an unforgettable show when the demand for tickets was so high that the organizers had to produce two shows instead of the planned ‘one night only’ concert. And what does one get from putting Broadway singer and actressslash-disney princess Lea Salonga, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja and renowned pianist cecile Licad together in one production? A performance worthy of four standing ovations from a packed theater and applause at the end that wouldn’t have stopped if the red curtain hadn’t come down.
Lea: Defying gravity Lea took us on a journey from Broadway to disney. Her powerful vocals evoked a different persona in each song. She “dreamed a dream in time gone by” (Les Miserables) even if she was “all alone in the moonlight” (Cats). She faced sadness and despair: “on my own pretending he’s beside me” (Les Miserables). Though she assures us that she had “been changed for good” (Wicked). In the first few moments of this medley, Lea’s microphone received faint feedback. Just when the audience started minding the sound that dared compete with one Lea, it went away. As a disney legend, Lea embodied
Pocahontas, Jasmine and Mulan on stage, even intermeshing and overlapping the song lyrics of world Colors of the Wind, A Whole New and Reflection from the respective disney movies. Lea sings her characters to life; one must hang on to her every
APRIL 1-15, 2012
FILIPINA ‘LEGENDS’ STAGE RARE COLLABORATION
The Legends and the Classics was a celebration of the beauty of art in words and wordlessness, of the individual and collective genius of three Filipinas skilled in their respective artistic disciplines. note to truly see the life behind the lyrics. on this night and stage, she defied gravity. This night was also “incredibly special” for Lea as she re-
called learning and singing her audition piece for Miss Saigon at 17 on that very stage at the ccP. “After 24 years, it hasn’t gotten old and it never will,” she says, and sings I’d Give My Life for You, the song that got Lea her big break on Broadway.
Lisa: Powering the pointe A dance that is unforgiving as it is beautiful, if it were not for dreams, there would not be such a thing as ballet.” In a previous interview, Lisa had said that Juliet in Romeo and
Cecile lets her heart —and fingers— fly.
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APRIL 1-15, 2012
In the finale, one can’t help but agree with the song title and wish the night would not end.
Juliet is one of her favorite roles to dance, and that dancer Augustus F. Damian III choreographed it especially for her. The theatricality of her performance that night was endearing as she, together with Ballet Manila’s Rudy De Dios as Romeo, conveyed the star-crossed lovers’ tragedy with flawless movement. In her performance with the Ballet Manila dancers for Paquita Grande Divertissement, one can see how her grace and fluidity still stands strong even after nearly three decades and how these characteristics are embodied in the dancers that she has mentored. The piece was visually stunning and lively against the bare stage -- the audience clapped to the beat as the prima ballerina did countless pirouettes, surrounded by the other dancers. They all made it look so effortless.
nirs d’ Andalousie, Caprice de Concert Sur La Caña, Op. 22, Cecile showed her musical prowess, hummed “papa-pam-pam” as if singing to her dancing fingers, and let the music surge through her whole body. Her performance was playful, free flowing, even innocent. Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22 showed Cecile’s range and the brilliance of FILharmoniKA and conductor Gerard Salonga, who also arranged his sister Lea’s Broadway and Disney medley.
Cecile: Rendering the piano electric When Cecile entered the stage for her rendition of the classics, she looked meek and reserved. She sat on the chair of the grand piano, depressed some keys… and then she got animated. Throughout her piano solos of Pasquinade, Caprice Op. 59 and Souve-
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Of flight and farewell
Lissome, catlike Lisa leaves the audience breathless after the nth number of pirouettes.
One highlight of the night was the performance of Le Carnaval des Animaux (Dying Swan). Lisa’s portrayal of this character was bold yet wistful and it brought to mind the first Filipino Prima Ballerina’s own legacy as a dancer and her announced retirement from the stage
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in 2014 at age 50. Distinguished cellist Wilfredo Pasamba came all the way from the US to perform this extraordinary number alongside Cecile on piano. When Lea was singing A Piece of Sky from the Michel Legrand Medley, Lisa once again graced the stage. As Lea sang the final verse that goes “Papa watch me fly” with such gusto, Lisa pirouetted across the stage and finished her routine, her hands raised as if she was the one flying. And in our minds, we knew: she flew! By the time Lea sang Sana’y Wala nang Wakas in the finale with Cecile, Lisa, Ballet Manila and FILharmoniKA, one can’t help but agree with the song title and wish the night would not end. The Legends and the Classics was a celebration of the beauty of art in words and wordlessness, of the individual and collective genius of three Filipinas skilled in their respective artistic disciplines. “We’re part of history, anak,” a woman said to her daughter after the show. Truly, there might not be another concert like this for a long time. (GMA News) n “The Legends and the Classics” ran from March 17 to 18, 2012 at the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
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CELEBR TY
KIM READY TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN
SHARON HITS BACK AT TWITTER BASHERS SHARON Cuneta is on a warpath against her and daughter KC Concepcion’s bashers on the microblogging site Twitter. The Megastar suspects the people behind the spate of negative tweets against her and KC could either be avid viewers of her former studio, ABS-CBN, or die-hard fans of KC’s former boyfriend, Piolo Pascual. “Kung hindi Kapamilya diehard, maka-Piolo lang. Wala namang galit sa amin na ibang tao,” says Sharon. She was particularly ticked off by negative comments about KC’s controversial breakup with Piolo and accusations that she and her daughter are “abortionists.” “Akusahan kayo ng anak mong abortionista tapos huwag ko patulan? Ano hahayaan ko pang ikalat nila? Sobra mga ‘yan. Mga bastos at walang modo. Dudumi ng bibig at pagkatao. Gawain siguro nila,” Sharon tweeted. KC disclosed that she has been receiving “attacks” from Piolo’s camp since her controversial interview on The Buzz
KIM
SHARON last November where she confirmed their breakup. She says some of her detractors have accused her of using Piolo and that she was being ungrateful to her ex-boyfriend. In her series of tweets, Sharon responded with fury. “Since you won›t stop bashing me and my daughter and it›s all the same to you -maybe it›s time I talk and tell the whole REAL story. Okay? Tutal pareho lang eh. Tahimik kami bash kayo ng bash. Eh di kami naman kaya!” she tweeted.
TWO years after she and Gerald Anderson parted ways, Kim Chiu says she is ready to enter into another relationship. “Hindi naman ano... yung kailangang-kailangan ko. Parang puwede na,” she replied when asked if she was ready to fall in love again. “Kasi siyempre, two years na rin ang nakalipas. Kaya ayun, kailangan na rin ng inspirasyon.” She was referring to her split from her former on and off-screen partner, Gerald. Now the Fil-Chinese teenage star is being linked to Xian Lim, her co-star in her last teleserye My Binondo Girl. Pressed by reporters if Xian could be her next boyfriend, she giggled and said, “Ay, ayoko namang sabihin kasi nakakahiya. Basta! ”
EDU APOLOGIZES FOR ‘TSISMIS’ TV host-actor Edu Manzano apologized for sending a tweet about President Benigno Aquino III and Korean TV-radio personality Grace Lee allegedly dating in the middle of the day at The Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan, last March 22. Well, the two have publicly admitted that they are dating. Problem is Edu’s tweet was way off the mark as it turned out the President was in Malacañang the whole day presiding over the board meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority. And his supposed date said she was in Makati at that time. At 2 p.m. Edu tweeted: “PNoy and Grace Lee spotted at Promenade Greenhills today. In the middle of the day. To be fair, it IS a nice day for a leisurely stroll.” Presidential spokesperson
Edwin Lacierda replied a half hour later, saying, “Your tweet is tsismis. The President is presiding over a NEDA meeting. It started at 10, the meeting is still ongoing.” At 4:40 p.m., Edu took back his tweet. “PNoy was NOT in Promenade with Grace Lee today. It was unconfirmed gossip, and I was overeager. I deserve all the backlash. Lesson learned.” He posted a follow-up message:
“Sorry for the confusion, everyone. In local parlance, nakuryente’ ako, and I was foolish to tweet unconfirmed chismis.” Asked to comment on the false tweet, the President said, “Meron talagang walang magawa. ‘Yun ‘yung kailangan natin ihanap ng trabaho. Dahil nag-iimbento ng kwento kung ano-ano. Pero tumawa na lang tayo. Ganun ho talaga siguro, parte na ng ating lipunan.”
She says she is not sure if Xian is courting her although she admits they are regularly communicating with each other. “Ayoko namang sabihin na ano. . . ayoko namang magsabi na ganoon!” Kim said, laughing. “Pero ano... lagi niya akong kinukumusta, then text, ‹tapos nagtatawagan kami. . . Kung minsan nagkikita kami. . . Minsan nagdidinner kami kasama yung mga friends ko.“ Commenting on the expressed desire of some of the Kimeralds –
the avid fans of the Kim-Gerald love team – she said, “Siguro sa mga fans, siyempre natural lang naman sa kanila yun bilang Kimeralds sila. Siyempre may hope pa rin sila. Pero ganun naman talaga yung mga fans, e. Nagpapasalamat kami kasi kahit iba na yung partners namin ni Gerald, e, nandiyan pa rin sila para sa amin.” Kim is currently busy shooting the horror film The Healing, where she portrays thje role of the daughter of Vilma Santos.
ALESSANDRA’S LOVE LIFE: ZERO
CONFESSING that her love life at the moment is zero, Alessandra de Rossi wonders why guys are seemingly intimidated by her. “Para raw akong isang mahal na mansiyon na titingnan mo lang, pero hindi mo kayang bilhin!” she joked. “Wala namang guy na nakakapansin sa beauty ko!” she added, laughing. “At iyon na lang ang isyu sa akin! Kasi walang isyu sa akin ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung bakit walang sinumang lalake na nakakapansin sa akin. Tuloy, wala pa rin akong dyowa until now!” She told reporters she is not an interesting subject for an interview because she has nothing interesting to share with them “Kaya nga ang point ko, ano pang sense na iinterbyuhin ako kung wala naman akong dyowa?! Alam n›yo naman ang artista, ‹pag walang lovelife, parang wala ring career!” she said. She shared her personal life is boring. “Kasi nga, katulad ng ilang taon ko nang sinasabi—bahay-taping, bahay-taping lang ako. E, wala naman [puwedeng maging dyowa] sa taping.” Alessandra is in the cast of the GMA-7 primetime series Legacy, together with Lovi Poe and Heart Evangelista.
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CELEBRITYFILES
VENUS HOOKS UP WITH JEN’S EX
KATRINA: YES, I’M PREGNANT!
KATRINA Halili has confirmed reports that she is three months pregnant. “I’m giving birth in September,” said Katrina disclosed in an interview on the gossip show Startalk. She said the father is his Fil-Am singer boyfriend Kris Lawrence. “My pregnancy was confirmed in February,” Katrina continued. “Masayang-masaya si Kris when I told him about it. Then, I told Kris’ parents and Tatay Rommel (Gacho, her manager).” The news came as a surprise to many who thought that Katrina and Kris broke up two years ago when Katrina got enmeshed in the infamous sex video controversy with Hayden Kho . “Kris was with me throughout my ordeal but we did break up for a while,” revealed Katrina. “No, there was no third party. I was the problem. I was confused; magulo ang utak ko because of what was happening at that time.”
VENUS KATRINA Based in California, Kris came to Manila a few years ago to compete in the ABS-CBN talent search Star in a Million, where he emerged winner. Kris’s manager said the singer, who is now in the US, will talk about the issue “in due time.” Katrina, who is in the cast of the ongoing GMA-7 soap My Beloved, has asked to be dropped from the soap. “Kasi siempre my tummy is growing so I can’t wear sexy clothes na,” said Katrina. “And also, hindi na ako puwedeng magpuyat because I have to take care of myself. But they asked me to stay.”
SO how’s life Venus Raj after being a Miss Universe runner-up? Well, she’s obviously enjoying
showbiz so much. She now even has a BF from showbiz, DJ Andrei Felix who was once linked to Jennylyn Mercado. “Four months na kami and so far so good,” she says. “We met on the set of ‘Umagang Kay Ganda’ where we’re both regulars in the same segment. Doon na-develop ang lahat. Wala nang ligawan. Basta nagkakaintindihan na lang kami. Siguro October or November when we became really close, nagtatawagan, nagkukumustahan lagi. No more courtship kasi maayos na
ang naging pagkakakilala namin sa isa’t isa since we’re together every day.” Venus says she has had two non-showbiz boyfriends before. “I’m more mature now and Andrei is six years older than me. He has told me about his past relationships, pati yung sa kanilya ni Jennylyn. Tanggap ko naman yun and we don’t hide anything from each other.” Venus has signed up with Regal and she’s all set to do her first movie, Super Mao, a comedy with about supermodels.
AIZA BREAKS UP WITH GIRLFRIEND AIZA & CHEN
AIZA Seguerra and her girlfriend of seven years, Chen Sarte, have split. Aiza has reportedly a new girlfriend. Chen, a talent manager, says she has already moved on and appealed to the public to stop speculating on the cause of their breakup. “We remain friends and I have a lot to be thankful to Aiza in the more than seven years we were together,” Chen said. “She opened my mind to music and showbiz.” She says she hopes to establish her own identity, not as the ex-girlfriend of Aiza, but as a champion of original Pilipino music or OPM. Chen is co-managing the upcoming rock singer Cathy Go with folk artist Bayang Barrios.
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